How I did it: I started a flickr group, and invited everyone i knew- even if only vaguely (like my entire list of 'friends' on StumbleUpon!) to join.

 In the invite, i explained that the goal would be to take a photo a day for one year, and that quality wasn't the focus- just the actual act of picking up the camera and taking a photo.

!4 other people from around the world committed to the project, and 9 of us managed to keep it up through the end, and finished 3 weeks ago.  Not everyone made it *every* day, but none of us missed more than a few.

Besides accomplishing a goal, and improving my photography skills (can't help but do so over a whole year of practice!), i've gotten to see other areas of the world through the eyes of my friends.  One member has used it as her daily journal, 'picmarking' where she was and what she did that day.  Several members have purchased new, more professional cameras than they started with, and several have also had their work published and purchased!  None of us were professionals when we started!

Many's the time that we've noticed that the need to take and post a picture for the day has led to us putting up a photo that we'd not normally have taken, or not have considered 'good'--- only for that picture to become one of our most popular shots!  (my 'top shot' according to flickr is still one that i never liked, and don't understand it's appeal!)

In the end, i have 14 new REAL friends, whom i've shared stories with and chatted with over the course of a year.  We know the names of each other's family members- (several members were related! One woman's teenagers both joined, as well as another lady's husband.  they all say it was a wonderful way to share something with their family.) our hobbies, and many of our hopes and dreams.

We're now a little family, and we've decided to keep the group open permanently, without the 'every day' pressure.  We'll continue to post and share as time and interests allow, but we'll always have this little home on the 'net to spend time in and visit with great friends.


It's definitely worth it. Set the goal, start a group, and have a richer life!

Lessons & tips: 1) make the goal and the rules simple. 'take a pic every day.' was ours. no qualifications or guidelines-- although we did say no pornography, since we had youngsters in the group.

2) Our members also chose to start a weekly 'theme' photo- one member each week would choose a theme, and we'd all take a special pic for that.  it was a real chance to be creative and step outside of our normal 'styles' of photography.

3) be positive and be vocal.  i made it a point to always say something nice about pics posted by other members.  even if it's not to my personal taste, i could always find at least one feature that i liked.  that helped me be more open in my own 'seeing,' as well as giving me new tools for critiquing!  My being chatty broke the ice, and allowed us all to become a more involved and social group.

4) Keeping the group small keeps it more social and friendly.  halfway through, we opened up to new members, and several were excited to find a small, personal group to join.  the social aspect gets lost in groups with more than about 15 active members.

Resources: http://www.flickr.com
their 'groups' platform was just right for our needs.

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Mar 28, 2009, 01:13PM PDT | 0 comments | 4 cheers